The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1887-05-13
w wnshangton.
tFrOm Our regular oorrspouaent.l
WASHINGTON, April end, 1887.

has transpired, aud tbs President. i
least, can testify that the drafts uron
bis attention have been sufficient 10 90.
cupy every momsnt Of his time. In the
iirst place be reviewed the vet bedrag-
glsd emancipation parade, which was
we'll nigh disestsd Of ali'i,s glory By
torrents Of rain. He accorded : spseIAl
reception to the Madiasn Sqaare theAt-
ricaI company, aud attended their per-
formance for the banelt Of the " Actors
Fund he made several important ap-
pointments, bad a conferences with the
new Pacific Railroad Commissioner.
who have asriyed In the city, aad ,nryer
negleeting his tri.weekIy hanashakings
for the public, has been insersiewsj
each day privately. by 3 score or mote
of public men, politicians and tlienda.
Th. Interstate C5mmercs Commi..
aion now occupy their permansnt quar-.
ters 10 handsome ne~ Lnilding with
white n,arble ffon'. on + strest. Al
last the Commission has decided upon
aud appointed ia Secretary, Mr. Nose
", who ~ss found 10 Boston. lie il 9
Democrat and member OF the Maasa-
ehusslss State Legislature. He is also
= lnmier merchant aud hiss had valuable
experience in the railroad business.
The 'ims Of the Commission is tpksa
up <i,h the nsid ,rstian Of the num-
srons complaints aaa petitions before
them, And with the receptions Of VIII
iorr, tbs petitioners and complaia-rp,
who come in person The CommisAiou
has been receiving letters Gu all sorts uf
irrelevsnt subjects from different parts
Of he United S'.tee, and becoming
tired OF answering conundrnms, not ar
ising from specific complaints which the
law authorizes them 20 consider, they
have Iast published statement Of he
limits Of their jurisdiction and powers
This important .tlerance u the Com
mission, While it apparently avoils ,hs
questions TO which 1t il applied ard re-
fers sha qaessioners 10 the ,silroads
aud courts Tor the preliminary aud ul,i.
mate constructions Of the law, points
out the Ins,hods by which such qqss-
lions can coms before them, aud makes
a suggestion. which, IL obss' we'd, ~iil
prsvent nins'y uins out Il enc hundred
Of such question, from ever rising.
The fruitful sause of these conun-
drums is The attitude Of the railroads,
which enforce vigorously, promptly and
liberally everything ia the las that can
possibly tend TO .we.l their ssvenus.,
endeavor to suspend OF avoid s,crshing
which can reduce their charges. and
fall into psnic-s,ricken coudition At
the idea Of running the risk ef pen IL
" by giving a liberal construction 60
the clauses authorizing reduced rates in
certain cases. With many of the roads
tue purpose u twofold, 20 make money
and to create disc ,mforts which uaay be
attributed to tha Jaw bringing 30 IL if
possible unpopnlarity and repeal.
The Commission say that there 10
nothing novel in the provisions Of the
law establishing the general principles
under which Interstate commerce must
now he condncted. They simply bring
hack the business Of the common car
rier. 20 the well settled principles Of
The common law.
Since / last wrote you Spring "a
arrived ia Washington and with it re-
newed interest in the National Drill
which takes place next month. Prep.
arations for the event are being csr-
ried briskly forward and Il 10 learned
that some Of the c5mpanies will arrive
considerably in advance OF :he time Of
the Encsmpneut. The monument
grounds are being put in readiness for
the camp, and grand stands are being
erected for spectators around the ellipss
on which the contest for prizes will be
held, and they will come from almost
every State in the Union.
Some of the citizens of w aahington
are completely frustrated over the on
forcement Of seme old laws which il
was thought were so useless from
disuse that they oonld not be used.
They are the old Sunday closing l. W.,
which require that all places of business
where anything is done or sold for
profit, except apothecsry shops and
undertaking establishments, shall be
heImetically sealed on the first day
Of the week. Ths authorities have
resurrected these laws from the statute
book which has been 80 long ignored,
and are enforcing them vigorously.
In view Of the great induxof strangers
expected here during the time Of the
Nationtal Drill, some earnest appeal,
have been made BY the leading hotel
proprietors and other public spirited
citizens for relief from the operations
Of that ordinance against Sunday
shaving, passed, al they say, when